


Agravaine's mistake

by Rona23



Series: Merlin´s  magic [40]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vikings, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Betrayal, Blood Eagle, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Execution, Gen, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin is a Little Shit, POV Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Merlin, Torture, Vikings, no magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:35:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27382801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rona23/pseuds/Rona23
Summary: Agravaine sided with Morgause. A shield maiden who wanted nothing more than Camelot to fall. He sided with the Vikings in heart and mind.Now he is faced to be judged by Arthur Pendragon, his nephew.Arthur sentences him to death, but allows him to choose his executioner.That's when Agravaine makes a major miscalculation.WARNING: mentions of blood and organs and torture, obviously
Relationships: Agravaine & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Agravaine & Merlin (Merlin), Agravaine & Morgause (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin´s  magic [40]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1588378
Comments: 40
Kudos: 243





	Agravaine's mistake

**Author's Note:**

> So... this is a lot shorter than what I had planned. And I actually have a lot of prequel for this. but erm.... those are ten pages wasted, cause they don't make much sense togetherXD  
> For this scene to happen you don't need any more knowledge. I just wanted to write something again.  
> And this scene has been stuck in my head for a while now.  
> No Arthur or Merlin are harmed in this one shot!!!!!

It was by far not the first situation that Merlin's behavior, his opinions and sometimes practices differed from Camelot's standard.  
But how far the differences reached was made public when Agravaine betrayed Arthur. 

The man, a man Arthur had trusted, that Arthur had depended on, was now standing before the court. Morgause had left him on the battlefield, where Agravaine had just shown which side he was on.  
Morgause was a shield maiden.  
A warrior beyond what Arthur knew of his own knights.  
She was reckless, lacked empathy. She didn't care about blood and murder and she didn't care for the causes of it.  
Agravaine adored her. And he stood with her in a fierce battle that Arthur barely managed to win for his people.

Now his uncle stood before the court to be judged. He had killed too many of Camelot citizens in the battle not to be.  
“You have betrayed me. You have betrayed Camelot. The only sentence I can pass is death.”, Arthur said. His voice sounding stronger and more apathetic than he felt.  
The chain mail and his royal cape Arthur wore, gave the impression of a fierce leader. One who would make any sacrifice without blinking. Without remorse.  
But Arthur couldn't do this. His heart was broken at the sight of all the rage and hate in Agravaine's eyes. He wanted to cry or to fight someone. He didn't want this to be real. But it was. And there was nothing he could do about it.

What had Arthur done to cause such betrayal? So much disloyalty.  
“However. You have given me good advice in the past. I shall not forget about that. You may choose the executioner.”  
Agravaine grinned. “Your mercy isn't worth anything, Arthur Pendragon!  
I may die, but I will die with honor. I will get to Valhalla and feast with the gods of the northmen.  
I am one of them.”

Arthur took a deep breath. The man had converted to the enemy. Not just as an alliance. Mentally as well. He saw no fault in what had happened. In what he did. 

“Choose.”, Arthur said and tried to ignore the glances of the witnesses on him and his uncle. 

Agravaine just smiled as he looked around. Probably hoping to find someone who would make the execution fast and swift.  
And then his eyes fell on Merlin. Arthur's eyes widened. No. Agravaine wanted to inflict pain even on his deathbed. Arthur was about to call out and take back his sentence, when Agravaine smiled and said the servant's name. “The boy. Merlin.”

Merlin perked up, his expression unchanged as he locked eyes with Agravaine.  
Again, Arthur was to pipe in, but Merlin stepped forwards as he was called. Just like a servant should. Just that Merlin had never really behaved like a proper servant.  
The weak sound of his leather boots clacking against the stone floor echoed in the silent room, where the knights exchanged panicked looks.  
They all believed, no knew, that Merlin had never killed before. This was gruesome. This was...

“I feel honored.”, Merlin said and all heads turned to him in surprise. “But I will make you regret your choice.”

“Merlin, you don't have to -”, Arthur tried, but Merlin's expression was firm.  
“Oh no, Arthur. I'll do it.”, the wild look in his eyes intensified.  
And for the first time this evening, Agravaine looked unsure about his decision. 

The ceremony, as Arthur had stated would be held not too long after. It would be held outside, as all executions were. So that all of Camelot's citizens could watch.  
Arthur didn't want to do this in public. But Agravaine practically insisted. Merlin hadn't said anything and made Arthur make his choice. 

Agravaine had been bound by chains, so whatever Merlin was about to do, he would not be able to escape.  
Merlin hadn't said what the method of the execution was going to be. But Arthur was nervous non the less.  
There was no pyre, no rope, no axe. Nothing Merlin had asked to prepare for them. Only that Agravaine was chained and couldn't run. That was all. 

Merlin had never killed anything more than a chicken. And he never seemed to enjoy the act at all.  
Asking him to kill a human being in front of the entire court was... a bit much, Arthur thought, as they all waited for the executioner.  
The knights deemed Arthur cruel for letting Merlin do this. For expecting him to do this. But Merlin had agreed. And now Arthur would see how far Merlin's devotion to him fared.

Arthur had brought this upon himself. He would watch. And help Merlin, if necessary.  
It was then that the court suddenly grew quiet again.  
Once again it was dark and only the flickening light of torches lighted up Agravaine's stage.  
The man looked amused, almost. Wild.  
He was certain the norse gods would take him. No matter what Merlin would do, he wouldn't be able to wipe that smirk of his face. Arthur knew that. 

And then, Merlin stepped forward. Not from the crowd, but behind Agravaine.  
He wore nothing but wide trousers. Arthur had never seen those before, but that wasn't what caught his attention. Merlin's hair – usually a total mess – was combed back on his face. He had shaved the sides of his head, in the same fashion that Morgouse had.  
His arms, legs and torso were covered in paint. Symbols of the Vikings, Arthur recognized. But that didn't make sense?  
Was Merlin making this some kind of joke?  
Was he trying to make fun of Agravaine in his dying moments? Or was this a sign of respect for the old man?  
Merlin's eyes were completely shadowed with dark paint that went all the way down to frame his cheekbones. The blue of his iris pierced threw the crowd. He looked inhuman.  
He looked Viking.

Agravaine hadn't seen him yet, but he must have sensed Merlin's presence behind him.  
He turned his head and jumped at the sight of the boy.  
Merlin locked eyes with him. He didn't look amused. Nor did he look appalled.  
“You said you want to go to Valhalla.”, Merlin said quietly, but the entire court could hear him.  
Arthur sat up.  
“You want to be Viking. You worship Odin and Thor.”

Agravaine smiled in amusement. “Yes, and they will welcome me with open arms.”

“You have betrayed your king.”, Merlin said, his eyes unwavering.  
Agravaine shook his head. “You wouldn't understand.”  
Finally Merlin smiled.  
“I understand that Vikings don't show mercy to traitors. And you have betrayed your own family. You have betrayed Arthur. You will pay the most expensive price.”, Merlin said and caused Agravaine to raise an eyebrow. 

“Do you think those markings make you any more dangerous than you are? Do you think looking like this will make me beg for mercy?”, Agravaine laughed wildly.  
But Merlin's eyes didn't waver. 

“I will warn you. By the laws of the north, you are not allowed to scream. And you are not allowed to die, before I'm done with your punishment.  
If you do, the gods will not welcome you. This is your last chance, Agravaine. Go back to your old believes. Because when I'm done with you, you won't look human anymore.”  
“My gods are Odin and Thor and Freja!”, Agravaine's grin was wild and proud and actually insane.

Then he leaned forward to whisper in Agravaine's ear. What he said sounded inhuman. It sounded like a joke. Like he was mocking Agravaine for his past and for his choices at the same time. “Are you ready to become an angel?”

At this, Agravaine's eyes widened.  
“You wouldn't!”, he said, confusion evident in his paling face. Arthur stared ahead. Agravaine knew what was going to happen? And he was SCARED? Scared of what?

As it turns out, Arthur didn't have to wait long to find out.  
Merlin pulled out two daggers that he's had strapped to his belt. And then, Arthur could hear screams. But not Agravaine's, no. He could hear women and even children gasp and shout at the sight, as Merlin sliced open Agravaine's back. 

His back? Arthur stared at him, the cruelly emotionless face on his manservant so unfamiliar, he could have been an entirely different person.  
Arthur couldn't see every step of Merlin's movements. But he could hear the crack of bones being ripped apart. And then Agravaine's screams, as Merlin slowly rearranged them to look almost like....

Arthur paled. He could feel bile raising in his throat. He had heard of these practices. He had seen a few corpses in overrun villages. And the corpses alone had made him puke and cramp at the sight.  
The practice itself was so horrifying, that the name of it alone send people to evacuate their homes. 

Blood eagle. 

Merlin was making Agravaine a blood eagle.  
His uncle's screams filled the court yard and he could hear people crying and shouting. Some were running away.  
What was this.... Arthur felt completely numb.

Agravaine's rips and his shoulder blades were now stretched far over his head. So much, they could have been mistaken for wings.  
Suddenly something long and bloody was in Merlin's hands, while Agravaine's screams died out. He didn't get any air. He couldn't breathe.  
Merlin held his lungs in his hands. And then he lay them on Agravaine's shoulders. 

Agravaine's last attempts at screaming were convulsing chokes and coughing. And then the fire in his eyes died with him.  
Merlin's gaze rested coldly and bloody on his victim.  
And if that wasn't enough already, the servant now held his bloodied hands to his face and ran his fingers over his cheeks. Leaving long, red stains of Agravaine's blood behind.  
“For the love of Camelot.”, he muttered, almost impossible to hear.  
Then he turned around. And left.


End file.
